Man guilty in 'brutal' revenge killing

A Lake County man accused of beating and torturing to death another Lake County man was found guilty today of first-degree murder "accompanied by especially brutal and heinous behavior."

A jury deliberated for 2 1/2 hours before finding Eric Castillo, 26, of Beach Park, guilty of the so-called revenge killing of a man who was lured to a Waukegan garage under the premise that he was going to be involved in a drug deal. Castillo is one of four people who were charged with the July 2011 murder of David Campbell, 27, of Waukegan.

Roberto Guzman, also of Waukegan, pleaded guilty last May after admitting he was the ringleader of the plot to kill Campbell, who he believed was responsible for the sexual abuse of an associate. Jose Horta of Waukegan was found guilty of murder in November and awaits sentencing, according to the Lake County state’s attorney’s office.

Prosecutors alleged that the defendants held Campbell down, put multiple plastic grocery bags over his head and hit him in the head multiple times with a hammer. Nadia Palacios of Waukegan is accused of pulling down Campbell’s pants and using a blow torch to burn his legs and genitals, authorities alleged. Her trial is pending.

After Campbell died, his body was taken to the Penny Road Forest Preserve in Cook County where it was dumped in a pond.

Campbell's family members hugged in the court hallway after the verdict. "Thank you, Father," one whispered. The relatives declined comment.

A status hearing is set for April 2. Castillo could be sentenced to up to life in prison, according to the state’s attorney’s office.